‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ showcases the joys and struggles of immigrants in America
The SpeakEasy Stage's production of the Tony Award-winning play centers hair braiders and their lives over one day in the salon in which they work.
Music & Culture Events
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VirtualExplorers: A New History with Matthew Lockwood
Prize-winning historian Matthew Lockwood looks at the impulse to explore, the travels of Pocahontas, Columbus, Sacagawea, and Captain Cook alongside others who rightfully deserve the title of “explorers” including immigrants and fugitive slaves.
According to Lockwood, people of every background imagine new worlds. The impulse to seek new places is universal to humanity. In his new book, “Explorers,” he unfurls a tapestry of surprising and historically overlooked travelers spanning forty centuries and six continents. His illustrated talk will share the stories of such seekers as David Dorr, born into slavery in New Orleans who embarked on a Grand Tour or Europe and Egypt, and the Viking female voyager Gudrid Far-Traveler, who sailed to North America in 1000 AD; among other pioneers.Partner:American Ancestors -
In Person
The Ulysses Quartet at The Boston Public Library (May 2025)
Join GBH Music's quartet in residence, the Ulysses Quartet, for a performance at the Boston Public Library! -
In PersonVirtual
GBH Music Presents JazzNOW: Gabrielle Goodman in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald
GBH Music and JazzBoston close the 2025 JazzNOW series with a tribute to jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald, featuring acclaimed Boston-based vocalist Gabrielle Goodman. Ella Fitzgerald, celebrated for her groundbreaking scat improvisation, impeccable vocal technique, and definitive interpretations of the Great American Songbook, redefined jazz over her 60-year career, earning 13 Grammys and breaking barriers for women and Black artists. Gabrielle Goodman and her band honor Fitzgerald’s legacy with fresh interpretations of the works that made her "The First Lady of Song." A professor at Berklee College of Music, Goodman is a versatile artist whose career spans jazz, R&B, classical, and gospel. She has performed with legends like Chaka Khan, Nancy Wilson, and Roberta Flack, who calls her "one of the finest singers today." Goodman has released six acclaimed albums, including Travelin' Light and Until We Love on the Verve label, and was paired with Ella Fitzgerald recordings on a compilation album from Verve. She has also performed internationally at major jazz festivals.
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Culture in the News
New book spotlights Madam C.J. Walker’s daughter A’Lelia, who forged her own path
The daughter of America's first Black millionaire became the “joy goddess” of Harlem in the 1920s.
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Forty years after 'The Day After,' rethinking war and nuclear weapons through film
'The Day After' focused on the city of Lawrence, Kansas. A record audience estimated at more than 100 million Americans tuned in, including then-President Ronald Reagan. -
The Genius Next Door: Harvard's Imani Perry on the history and culture forged by Black Americans
Last month, interdisciplinary scholar and writer Imani Perry was named as one of the MacArthur "genius" grant fellows for 2023. She's one of four local awardees, part of Under the Radar's series, "The Genius Next Door." -
Why the 'Battle of Versailles' still resonates 50 years later
On November 28, 1973 a fashion show rocked the Palace of Versailles and forever changed our understanding of style.
GBH Music
More Culture Programs
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Norah Jones “Night Life”
Norah Jones performs Willie Nelson’s classic “Night Life” in celebration of ACL's 50th Anniversary.| 3:56 -
Leon Bridges "Ain't Got Nothing on You"
Leon Bridges performs “Ain’t Got Nothing on You” to celebrate ACL's 50th Anniversary.| 4:05 -
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Olivia Rodrigo "Drivers License"
Olivia Rodrigo performs her hit “Drivers License” on Austin City Limits in 2021.| 4:18
